Nostalgia
by shmulia
Summary: Set after the Book 2 finale of Legend of Korra, Zuko and Katara are reunited. Bickering and heart to hearts ensue.


Travelling by sky bison wasn't as comfortable as it had been seventy years ago. Tenzin had tried to make the journey as comfortable as possible, but Katara's old bones weren't as strong as they used to be. Saying that, she refused to travel any other way; she had too many memories associated with flying bison to want to use any other transportation.

The visit to the Fire Nation was not originally meant for Katara. Her children were supposed to go, but extenuating circumstances created by Harmonic Convergence meant Katara was being sent to represent the Southern Water Tribe in her children's stead. As Korra's old mentor, she didn't mind going to greet her. Plus, she had the added bonus of seeing an old friend.

She hadn't seen Zuko since her arrival at the Fire Palace; despite the fact he was no longer Fire Lord, he still had a large amount of control over the running of the palace, particularly when it coincided with a visit from the Avatar. Being one of the elemental masters who had taught Korra bending, Zuko had watched her grow from an overconfident child to an overconfident young woman, and so knew her preferences when it came to formal occasions. This meant Zuko chose the food, the entertainment, and any other necessities that Korra may need for her visit. The planning had kept Zuko busy, and it was only when Korra was due to arrive that he was made aware of Katara's presence in his home.

Standing tall even in his old age, Zuko stood next to his old enemy-turned-friend, who wasted no time in reminding Zuko that she hadn't changed over the years.

"You realise I've been here for hours now?" Katara said, causing Zuko to tilt his head slightly in order to hear her better; age had increased their height difference exceptionally.

"I apologise; I wasn't informed until about ten minutes ago," he replied, attempting to maintain his regal demeanour as much as possible.

"Hmph," Katara snorted. "If this was seven decades ago, you wouldn't have needed to be informed. You would have found me all by yourself."

"...You're never going to let that die, are you?"

"I'm just saying. You could find me when I was travelling all over the world. You'd think it'd be easier when I'm literally right in front of your nose."

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't greet you, I've been a bit preoccupied with preparing for the Avatar's arriv-"

"Zuko, call her Korra. You're family to her; you know it makes her uncomfortable to be referred to so formally."

"It's a formal occasion."

"...Shut up." Zuko smiled at his little victory.

Though the waterbender and firebender had become exceptionally close in the aftermath of Sozin's Comet, the two had never quite lost their defensive and, to a point, argumentative temperaments. They were similar to each other in many ways, as both were protective and desperately cared for those they loved; however, their methods of protection often opposed each other's, resulting in tense situations when the two strongly disagreed on something. They contrasted each other to such a degree that many had thought they would end up together, with the old "opposites attract" idiom being present in multiple minds; it came as a surprise to some when Katara and Avatar Aang announced their relationship. However, whilst Zuko and Katara had once harboured feelings for each other, the two knew that they wouldn't have worked – the fiery similarities between them would have inevitably led to them separating in anger. Katara needed Aang's unconditional love and kind heart, whilst Zuko had required Mai's blunt honesty and quiet care.

They had remained close friends, however; when it came to relationship issues, or general advice, the pair had no higher preference for company than the other. When Mai had passed away in childbirth, Katara had been second to comfort Zuko, beaten to him only by her husband. In turn, when Aang's spirit left him, Zuko had been by Katara's side to watch the passing of their beloved Avatar. They had immediately gone to meet the tiny Korra when her abilities were revealed, and helped raise her to the strong woman she was today. The couple couldn't have been prouder of Aang's successor; though different to the Avatar they had known and loved, Korra had shown herself to be worthy of carrying on Aang's legacy.

As Katara and Zuko waited for their protégée's arrival, they discussed the changes wrought by Korra's most recent battle, and the effects the fight had had on her. The conversation only halted when Iroh II, waiting behind the two legendary element benders, pointed out a figure in the sky that was moving closer at a rapid speed.

"Here she comes," Zuko murmured to Katara, smiling at the approaching Avatar.

"Calm down there Zuko. Last time you were this happy to see the Avatar, you were trying to capture him."

"That was _seventy years ago Katara!"_

"Your point?"

"I spent decades as one of Aang's closest friends, but does anyone ever mention that? No. It's always 'hey, it's the guy who tried to capture the Avatar when you were young' and 'honour!' I _have_ done other things with my life you know!"

"That reminds me, did you ever actually _find_ your honour?"

"Katara, please. Some of us are trying to act as the respected nobility we are. Oh, wait..."

"Are you calling me a peasant, Zuko?"

"Like I would dare."

"Don't call me a peasant, Zuzu."

"_Katara."_

"Honourrrrr."

"_Katara_!"

Iroh II watched his grandfather and Katara bicker like the teenagers they used to be. They were so engrossed in their arguing that they didn't notice Korra and her friends land in the courtyard and walk over to them.

"_Honour honour honour!"_

"_Peasant peasant peasant!"_

Korra looked over at Iroh, who merely shrugged at the antics of two of the most revered benders of their time. He walked over to his grandfather and tapped him on the shoulder, breaking him out of the argument. Zuko straightened up, blushing at the loss of his composure. Katara merely grinned at Korra, taking Zuko's breaking away as conceding defeat. The two greeted Korra, and led her and her friends away into the palace in order to let her rest from the journey before the feast began.

The celebrations were continuing into the small hours of the night; hiring performers from the fire nation had been a success, and the musicians were keeping the guests dancing for hours on end. Zuko decided to retire for the night when the clock struck eleven. He had done his duties for the night, and left Korra dancing with Mako - Zuko had been informed of their break up, but wondered if a reconciliation may be on the horizon - with Bolin and Asami not too far away from them. In the unlikely event of an issue, Korra would be safe. Not that Zuko doubted her abilities- he just preferred knowing that she wasn't on her own. Her isolation growing up was something he could empathise with; he was quietly thrilled that she had found friends that brought out the best in her, as he had so many years ago with the original Team Avatar. Zuko's heart panged as he thought about Sokka, who had coined the name. As he left the room, he heard Korra laugh heartily, a sound that reminded him of the previous Avatar. His course changed; he suddenly needed to talk to someone who could understand his abrupt nostalgia.

Katara had left the celebrations an hour beforehand, claiming she was too tired to enjoy the festivities. However, Zuko knew his friend well enough to know that she hadn't gone to bed; instead, he went to his Uncle Iroh's old room, which he had turned into his private tea room; only Zuko's closest friends and family were allowed access to this private area. As he predicted, Katara was sitting by the Pai Sho board with a cup of jasmine tea. He moved to the other side of the board and sat down. The teapot was still warm, so he poured himself a cup. After years of disdain, his appreciation for his Uncle's favourite beverage had grown as he matured.

"Are you alright?" Zuko asked his companion. Katara was too quiet for his liking; she was one to speak, to comfort people and put them at ease, even if the two of them teased each other frequently. In truth, Zuko enjoyed their sparring; Katara was the only person who treated him as a person; to everyone else he was a father, a Fire Lord, or a friend of the Avatar. His numerous positions required respect; Katara was in the same situation as the world's best healer, as well as the previous Avatar's wife. The two of them understood the other's desire to still be treated as a person, something that the majority of the population did not seem to understand. The two friends argued, but they always knew that neither meant any harm. The decades of friendship between them meant that Zuko was able to determine that Katara's mood was anything but happy.

Katara was silent for a while, gathering her thoughts into a sentence that could accurately describe her feelings.

"It's Korra, isn't it?" Zuko said quietly. "The way she is now... she's changed. She's calmer now, more..."

"More like Aang." Katara finished Zuko's sentence.

"Yeah," He agreed.

"I think that's just it. This past year has changed her. And it's not a bad thing. She was always cocky, confident. She still is. But now... you see her smile, and it's the same as his. She laughs like him, and she just... It was easier before. Because although she was the Avatar, she wasn't Aang. There weren't many similarities. I could pretend she was separate to Aang, that although she was the Avatar, she wasn't his reincarnation. But now, I see him in her. And she's spoken to him. And it just... it reminds me..." Katara trailed off, unable to finish her words.

"It reminds you that Aang's time has ended." Katara nodded.

"I miss him. I miss him when I see my children, when I see Korra, and when I see you. We travelled everywhere, so everywhere has a memory. And it's a blessing and a curse, because I can never forget him. Everything is a reminder of what I once had, and it _hurts,_ Zuko. The only time I can find peace is with my family now. With Korra. With you." Katara paused. "You're the only person who understands. Sometimes I want to forget, but mostly I want to remember. Finding Aang in the iceberg, going to the northern water tribe, your need to capture Aang, Toph, Suki, defeating the Fire Lord, marrying Aang, having kids. I just want to remember my life. And now most of the people who I shared my life with are gone."

The pair was silent. Katara's words hung in the air between them, the surviving members of a family that had left them, one by one.

"Sometimes... sometimes I think of something. Toph punching me affectionately. Sokka teasing me. Iroh's advice. I understand Katara, I do. I love Korra. She's like family to me. But you... you are my family. You, my children and grandchildren. I'm lucky; my daughter is around regularly, even if my grandson isn't. But for you, it's different. Your children are often away. I don't always have time to look back, and I wish I did. But maybe now that Korra is training with Tenzin, you have too much time to reminisce.

Don't misunderstand; I miss them too. If I could go back and see them again... If I could tell my younger self to shut up about honour and help you all sooner, I would in a heartbeat. Every minute with my friends was a blessing. And I wouldn't change a second of it. But we can't look back forever. Katara, Aang isn't gone. If Korra shows you anything, let it be that Aang will always be here. We'll meet Aang, Sokka, Toph, Iroh, Mai and Ty Lee in the Spirit World, I know it. But for now, we must live without them. If only to tell them all about the world they didn't get to see, and tell them how their lives _meant something to the world_. Remember your life Katara. But don't forget to live it." He reached over and held her hand. "You are not alone. You have your family. You have me. If you ever, ever need someone, you can always come to me." He smiled. "I will never be too busy to reminisce with my old friend."

Katara's eyes glistened.

"I don't know where I'd be without you, Zuko," she said. Katara sniffed, as tears began to fall down her cheeks.

"Well, look at that. I'm tearbending," she chuckled.

"Oh, do you remember that play we saw once? _The Boy In The Iceberg?_ The Ember Island Players?"

"I wish I could forget. It was the worst thing I've ever seen."

"Lucky. I _wish_ it was the worst thing I'd ever seen..."

"Do I want to know?"

"I doubt it, but I'll tell you anyway. I was going to see Sokka one night when we were travelling together before Sozin's comet... anyway, I walk into his tent to see him wearing nothing but his long top, holding a rose in his mouth-"

"ZUKO, NO!"

"-I think he was waiting for Suki, who was walking past in a lei-"

"BAD ZUZU. NO."

"-long story short, it isn't a memory I will ever forget. No matter how hard I try."

"...I didn't need to know that. We've gone through years of friendship without me knowing that. Those were the good times."

"Yep."

"...while we were _travelling?_ Did they realise Toph felt things _through her feet? _Oh, that poor girl..._"_

"I didn't really want to mention it to them."

"...I'm changing the topic. Let's play Pai Sho."

"You still remember Iroh's lessons?"

"Of course. You insult me by suggesting I'd forget!"

"Sorry, Katara."

"No you aren't."

"Do you want to play or not?"

"Quiet Zuko, I'm trying to concentrate."

"...We haven't started playing yet."

"Shut up."


End file.
